Look Who Is Writing.... Word Count = 5,009

My first write-in at Panera was very, very good to me. 5K words in my brand new novel. Happy Happy, Me Me!! Since I need to fuel up with some dinner...I am cheating a bit and getting straight to my list. Here are some things that I learned today...in no particular order...although the first bullet point is the most mind blowing...so prepare yourself accordingly. And...following the list...please find my favorite line from today.

Things I learned today...

* According to Ben's textbook on writing...fiction must contain ideas...

* My main character is afraid of elevators.

* My main character does not get along with her sister or her parents.

* My main character uses the Metro to get to work.

* My main character lives in an area that resembles Rockville Town Center. Wait...maybe it is Rockville Town Center. Her apartment number is 417.

* My main character is named Louise. I don't know her last name yet, but that is okay.


Favorite line so far....

"Her mindset was infectious, can you catch desperation?"

Let's Get it Going.... Word Count = 0

And here we go...I am at Panera...about to get my novel on. Let's do this!! I have all I need. Endless Coffee. Notebook. Pen. Laptop. Cute Writing Bag. Cute Writing Totem that matches said writing bag. Ipod. Headphones. And the most important thing...NanoWrimo Buddies!! We have occupied the orange wall...and all is write the world. I have really missed this. So...here I go...commencing novel writing...and go!!!

Flexing the Writing Muscle...

So...blog much? Evidently not. I can't believe how long it has been since I have written something here. Or written anything fun...other than tweets and status updates. How sad is that? Here is the thing...it is not sad at all. It is a good thing. I have been working hard and playing hard. Lots of long hours at work, lots of time at the gym and lots of fun soccer watching. I have no complaints at all.

Summer mode is here...and it is time for CampNanoWrimo again...and I am all on it. Well, let's just say I have a first line and tomorrow is June 1...so...I'm going to see what happens. 50,000 words in a month? No problem...let's get it going. Have I prepared...sort of...I am a pantser after all.

List of Things I Have Done to Prepare for CampNanoWrimo - June 2012

1) Picked a summer writing bag

2) Put laptop, pens, highlighters, stickie notes, USB, headphones, ipod cord, and power cord into said summer writing bag

3) Picked out a small notebook for hand written things and notes...that is small enough to fit in my purse...so I can carry it with me all the time.

4) Received a new pretty pen as a gift that can be used for all handwritten notes in small notebook.

5) Have an inspiration song for Novel - "Watching You Watch Him" by Eric Hutchinson

6) Have a writing totem - a scarf that matches previously mentioned summer writing bag

7) Have that inner gut feeling that I am about to embark upon something really spectacular


Do I have a vision of what my main boy and girl character look like? Nope. Do I have any names picked out? Nope. Do I care? Nope. I'm a pantser...I just let it be. I'm excited and I'm ready...so there isn't much more I need. Well...I need it to be June 1 so I can have that blank page in front of me for a split second and then it will fill with many, many words.

Small Things...

So as my insulin levels get notched down a bit more...after 24 years...I finally know that I figured some things out in terms of dealing with Type 1 Diabetes. I do not use words like manage or control...because that just makes you feel like a failure when things go awry. And things will go awry...but that is part of the process...the key (like with anything)...is to just keep working hard and move along. You have to just deal and keep going.

Since September I have been in what I have now deemed Type 1 Diabetes Dragon Slaying mode. The work I have been putting in is starting to show...in many ways. My blood sugar, my physical form, my efficiency, my outlook but most important of all...my sparkle. It is back...and in some ways it feels like an entirely new kind of sparkle...like the me I knew I could be is finally taking shape. It is good...it is me...but better.

I am five months in and I am still at it...this has been longest span of time that I have consistently worked hard at something...other than my job. There really is no secret...but there are two key small moments that keep me driven. Two simple things really - - a smile and some telling you that they believe in you. You shouldn't underestimate the power of each of those things...they can be transforming. So, if you ever feel like doing either of those things...you should go for it. You never know what will happen as a result.